poor spark

[c.e.culverhouse]

hi i'm new to this forum but hope someone can help.

last season i fitted a jolley engineering elec ignition and hi-power coil to my (6v) wc 63. since doing this there has been poor to intermittent sparking and after laying the car up for the winter am unable to start it at all.
I sent his first coil back & purchased another at a reduced rate but this had only some noticable improvement.
The plug gaps are set at 40thou as i believe this is necessary with this type of ignition.

Best wishes, Conrad.

[Tony B]

Hi Conrad, welcome to the mad house. I was talking to Phil P on the phone the other night he told me of similar problems he had that traced down to dirty connections on the ignition switch. I don't doubt that he will post the full tale himself. The principal is the same though, check and clean all your electrical connections, including the rotor arm and dizzy cap.

[c.e.culverhouse]

thanks for your prompt reply, Tony. I was thinking of calling in an autoelectrics firm to help me with this.
Do you think it would be wise to buy some replacement parts first such as dizzy cap,rotor arm etc?
Are these available in new/unused condition?

[Tony B]

Funny you should ask that I have just rung Steve Rivers at Dallas Autos telephone 01635 201124. He has all the parts you want and advice. I bought my Dodge WC51 off him 6 years ago now. The only thing he told me that didn't work out was "You will take her into a show ring and win a prize", actually I took her to her first show and won two prizes He is sending me new dizzy cap 6 plugs rotor arm and fan belt, about £50 with P&P. It would be worth changing the dizzy cap these can't be checked by eye. Plugs, the Haynes manuals have pictures of plugs that have suffered various grief, basically if your plugs are uniform black with no arc or pits they are OK. The trouble when they do stand is rust,. The only time mine has ever stopped was a loose ignition wire on the switch. I cleaned everything up, it's suprising the amount of muck that can collect. A light smear of silicon grease or vaseline works wonders. Get a volt meter and check out all the circuit from battery through to coil and make sure you are getting 6 volt. Any less and there will be the coil problem. Hope this helps. PS Phil reckons 50 thou on the plugs as his was set up Crypto tune I've set my old ones at that and she runs fine. Have you got a spark gap to fit on the top on the plug? A couple of quid from a car accesory place well spent. Pop on to plug clip lead on top, hey presto no more belts from the lead and the engine runs while you check.

[Tony B]

Conrad, see engine trouble link, Phil has put the coil info on that.

[Phil P]

Hi Conrad.
Tony B was spot on yes I did do a posting or rather have just done a posting on the low voltage /poor spark but on the Engine problems heading page 3. Wow I've made page 3! The trouble is with anything under the dash on a Dodge you almost have to be either eighteen inches tall all or be so supple particularly in the spine you would make a fortune in a circus. They end up in a horrible mess under there somewhat akin to an explosion in a barbed wire factory. Remember a few hours under there cleaning contacts and terminals is far cheaper than replacing everything, if you don't include the cost of the private physiotherapist you will need after!

[Tony B]

WANTED DODGE MECHANIC. Preference given to ambedixterous Octupus. I had to be rescued from own gear stick last night after tidying up some electrics under the dash, bloody embarasing

[Ugg]

Um Tony:

Then why did ya have a big smile on your face AFTER? Come to think of it, I DID hear a big yell yesterday, but I thought it was the wind.

Later

[c.e.culverhouse]

Thanks for all your comments.
must check out page 3
My spark plugs are quite rusty around the base where rainwater has collected on the head. Could this affect the spark?
I think some new plugs,rotor,dizzy cap & a good clean up in the exploded barbed wire factory must be the answer!

[Tony B]

I'll tell ya Ugg, I got to get to the gym The belly is getting dangerous. No help mind you when your "Rescuers" are falling about laughing.

[Tony B]

Thanks for all your comments.
must check out page 3
My spark plugs are quite rusty around the base where rainwater has collected on the head. Could this affect the spark?
I think some new plugs,rotor,dizzy cap & a good clean up in the exploded barbed wire factory must be the answer!

The plugs on mine have the same problem. Doesn't seem to hurt them much though. Anyone any ideas on how to prevent this though

[Ugg]

Hey Tony:

I'll tell ya Ugg, I got to get to the gym The belly is getting dangerous. No help mind you when your "Rescuers" are falling about laughing.

Fortunately, I can still see my toe's when I stand, but injuries/mishaps are no stranger to me, so I can really relate to your woe about them laughin. We taught Maynard how to count by counting my scars. He'd quit at 100 from frustration. We tried the same tact with my daughter, but she's such a little sweetheart that she wanted to kiss each one 1st, to make em better, which meant it would take forever.

The plugs on mine have the same problem. Doesn't seem to hurt them much though. Anyone any ideas on how to prevent this though

Back in the "OLD" days, I used a silicon spray that was made especially for waterproofin your electrical system when ya go Off Roadin. I don't know if they still make that stuff, but ya might want to check around as it'd help.

Later

[Tony B]

The trick used on Land Rovers is the old rubber household glove called a Marigold. Mind you with a six pot it'd be a weird hand You can still get a stuff called Damp Start over here which sprays a clear sheild. One idiot of my passing aquintence got the engine soaked to the point it cut out, THEN sparayed the waterproof coating over the top of the wet Dizzy, "Do you know that stuff is rubbish? My engine just will not start " Being nasty that day we left him to it.